Cartridge link and feedwheel for a revolver-type gun



J. F. O'BRIEN 2,820,400

CARTRIDGE LINK AND FEEDWHEEL FOR A REVOLVER-TYPE GUN Jan. 21, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 3, 1954 R mm a 5 .Aiv. wm 8 mm Jan. 21, 1958J. F. O'BRIEN 2,820,400

CARTRIDGE LINK AND FEEDWHEEL FOR A REVOLVER-TYPE GUN Filed Feb. 3, 1954s sheets-sheet;

" imliiiliiii m INVENTOR.

Jnhn 1T O'Brien Jan. 21, 1958 J. F. O'BRIEN 2,820,400 I CARTRIDGE LINKAND FEEDWHEEL FOR A REVOLVER-TYPE GUN Filed Feb. 5, 1954 :5 Sheets-Sheet5 I06 1 'IE| E| |o| I08 I03 104 96 62 I02 6455 '76\ I05 6 f r 2a 95 o 944o 2 44 V 36 46 IN V EN TOR.

Wow

z'TURNEYS.

Unied St t s Patefi CARTRIDGE. LINK. AND FEEDWHE'EL FOR A- REVGLVER-TYPEGUN".

John F. OBrien, Springfield, Mass., assignor to. the United States ofAmerica asrepresented by the Secretary of the Army Application February3, 1954, Serial No. 408,051-

(Granted under Title 35, S. Code (1952),.sec. 266) 6 Claims.

The; invention described; herein. may. be manufactured and used. by. orfor: the Government: for. governmental purposeswithout; the'payment of;any. royalty thereon.

My in ention relfates to arrevolver-type :automatic weap on andmorepparticularlyfio a cartridge feeding device anda cartridge belt linkcorresponding, thereto;

Such a weapon includes a rotatable. cartridge drumwith five or. sixchambers havingadrum firing stationaligned with the. barrel. Theweaponmaybe. fed from either-di-- rection, but a six chamber weapon witha righthand feed having a six oclook drumfiringstation' willbedescribed.

In the present weapon, the-cartridgeszare held'in: the links of a;disintegrating'belt. eachincluding an axially opposed. pair. of. flaringprojections. andtheweapon includes a guide. for engaging the;projections to direct the. belt.v

The guide iscurved. around a .feedwheel provided with i a pair ofsprockets splined to the cartridge drum for synchronous rotationtherewith. and: the cartridges. are

slidably propelle over the outside: surface: of-the guide y teeth on thesprockets tothe pair-ofjdrum' chamber. stations preceding, the sixoclock, station where the car'- tridges are ram-loaded intottherdrumintwo stages.

Such a method of directing the cartridges of a beltto. the rammingpositionsis. expensive due to. the -.accuratezfit required of i theguide. and. the link projections: andtheaccurate spacing: requiredbetween the center of the=guidefi A further object of my inventionis toproyidefor such.

a weapona cartridge link. and av cooperating'feeding device having africtional resistance. independent of the rota.- tional speed of theweapon drum.

A still further object, of. my invention is to providea double-rammingstage, automatic weapon with a stopzfor' positively locating thecartridgesthereof between ram:- ming stages.

Other aims and objectsof my,invention wilhbe-evident.

from the. following description.

The cartridges for the. weapon of. my invention. areheld.

in the connected links of a cartridgev belt by forward and. rearwardpairs of grips and the weapon provided, with guides fordirecting thebelt through the feedway of the weapon to a-feedwheelsecured-to-the'cartridgedrum for" rotation according to cycles of 'anactuatorofthe weapon.

The: feedwheel includes-a pai'rof spaced' 'sprocketsjhaw ingparallclteethv torrpmjecting: betwcenthe links and undercut to receivecorresponding spaced pairs of parallel to secure the belt to the wheel.Rotation of the feedwheel pulls the belt into the weapon and a belt camengages the links asthcy arrive at the feedwheel to direct the tabs intothe sprocket undercuts. As the feedwheel rotates during one actuatorcycle, a link is conducted by the feedwheel to a first ram station and aram arm on the actuator of. the weapon advances the cartridge therein toa halframmed position with the butt end thereof held by theforward'grips and with the projectile of the cartridge entended into-thecorresponding drum chamber. The forward movement of the cartridge isdetermined by a springbiased stop for. engaging the rim of thecartridge. During. the succeeding cycle of the actuator, the cartridgeis supported between the feedwheel and the drum while being carried tothe full-ram position wherein ramming of the cartridge into the drum iscompleted. In the next actuator cycle the cartridge is rotated to thefiring station and discharged.

A link cam directs the links from the teeth into a discharge chutefollowing the full-ram position.

For a more complete understanding of my invention, reference is made tothe following description and the accompanying drawing of one embodimentof my invention in which:

Fig. l is a partly sectioned elevational View of the feeding mechanismof an automatic weapon;

Fig. 2 is a View along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view along line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig; 5 is a View along line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6. is an enlarged perspective view of the feed mechanism with acartridge in half-ram position;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the cartridge stop of the mechanism;

Fig; 8 is a view of a cartridge belt stored in an ammunitionbox; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the link.

According to the drawing, a recoil unit 12 of an automatic weaponslidably disposed on a receiver 14, is provided with a barrel 18. A drum20 includes a shaft 22 rotatably disposed in forward and rearwardbearings 24 and 26 ofrecoil unit 14. Bearing 24 limits forward movementof drum shaft 22.

Drum 20 includes s'x chambers 28 with the six oclocl: drum station ofthe chambers aligned with barrel 1 for firing theweapon. The drum isrotated by an actuator 39 disposed for reciprocal operation with respectto recoil unit 12 responsive to the discharge of firing stationcartridges to serially advance chambers 28 to the firing. statwo.

A feeder 32 is mounted on receiver 14 to supply cartridges 34 to drum20'. Cartridges 34 are shown in Fig. 1 in the fecdway 35 of feeder 32,in half-ram position andyin full-ram position in drum 2%}. Cartridge 34includes a case36 and a projectile. 38.

Feeder 32includes a feedwheel 40 having a hub 42 conmeeting a pair ofsprockets 44 and including a shaft 46. Sprockets 44 include parallelteeth 48. Feedwheel shaft 46 has a diameter smaller than that of drumshaft 22 and is splined thereto at 49. A locking device 50, includingjoined parallel washer and horseshoe-shaped portions 52 and 54respectively, is disposed with the latter portion extending into acorresponding slot in bearing 26 and with washer portion 52 encirclingfeedwheel shaft 46 to limit rearward movement of drum shaft 22.

Cartridge 34is tapered and is resiliently secured. in a link, 56 havinga body 58. Case 36 of the. cartridge is held in theiilink-hy pairs offorwardand rearward grips 60'and-62 respectively formed on the opposingedges of. the'body? Depressions M'formed'in rearward grips 62 gagementwith loop 76 when cartridge 34 is secured by grips 60 and 62.

A stop 32 is pressed into tongue 74 and hook 78 is bent to limit therespective annular movement of link body 58 and tongue 74 tosubstantially 50 degrees and allow cartridge belt 80 to fold into anammunition box 81 in successively engaged flat layers, as shown in Fig.8.

Feedway 35 includes a floor 84 and forward and rearward belt guides $6and 88 for restraint of cartridge belt 80. Forward guide 86 is formedinto a trough and the ogive portions of projectiles 38 are restrainedtherein to move along the trough by a shelf 90 of rearward guide 88 forengaging the faces 92 of cartridge cases 36. Shelf 90 also limits upwardmovement of lugs 68 to retain cartridge belt within the feedway.

Teeth 48 are provided with adjacent surfaces for engaging links 56 andthe teeth include undercuts 93. Spaced forward and rearward pairs oftabs 94 and 95 oppositely extend from link body 58 for respectivelyprojecting into the undercuts 93 of corresponding pairs of teeth 48 onthe forward and rearward sprockets 44 to secure link 56 to feedwheel 40.Hook 78 is substantially narrower than the opening in loop 76 and a cam96 is mounted on rearward guide 83 to engage lugs 68 and urge the tabsinto undercuts 93.

A curved rammer 98 is provided for loading cartridges 34 into drumduring forward strokes of actuator 30. As feedwheel 40 rotates with drum20, cartridge belt 80 is pulled through feedway and link 56 is carriedto the first loading station where an arm 100 of rammer 98 halframscartridge 34 into the corresponding chamber 28 of drum 20 with case 36secured by forward grips 60. The half-ram position is shown in Fig. 6. Acurved plate 101 is secured to rammer 98 and extends forwardlytherefrom.

A stop 102 is mounted on a fiat spring 103 secured to recoil unit 14 forbias to a normal position extending into extraction groove 66. A surface104 of stop 102 is adapted for engagement with rim 105 to limit theforward movement of a half-rammed cartridge 34. Stop 102 projectsthrough a window 106 in plate 101 and is restrained from contact withcase 36 except when ex traction groove 66 is in position to receive thestop by a follower 108 formed on the free end of spring 103 forengagement with plate 101.

Cartridge 34 is carried to the second loading station supported by link56 and drum 20 during the next cycle of actuator 30 for completion ofthe ramming of cartridge 34 into drum 20.

During the succeeding cycle of actuator 30 the cartridge in drum 20 isrotated to the firing station, and the emptied cartridge link 56 iscarried from the second loading station. As feedwheel rotates, link cam116 on recoil unit 12 displaces link 56 for disengagement of the tabs 96thereof from undercuts 93 and momentum carries links 56 through adischarge chute 118. Upon disengagement of the tabs from undercuts 93,links 56 are free to fall out of connection and disintegrate cartridgebelt 80.

In the structure described above, cartridge belt 80 is free of slidingcontact with a curved guide surface and therefore the friction of thebelt is independent of the rotational speed of the drum since links 56are secured for rotation to feedwheel 40. 4

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has thereof and thefollowing claims are intended to include such variations.

I claim:

1. A feeding device for operation with an ammunition belt includinglinks for gripping cartridges having spaced pairs of oppositelyprojecting tabs, comprising a rotatable feedwheel for conveyance of thelinks to stations thereof provided with identical parallel sprocketshaving aligned undercut teeth for simultaneous engagement ofcorresponding adjacent pairs thereof with the links and the tabs forsecuring the links to said feedwheel and means for guiding the linksinto and out of said engagement, before and after said conveyance,respectively.

2. A feeding device for an ammunition belt including links for carryingcartridges having bodies with parallel pairs of tabs oppositelyprojecting therefrom, said feeding device comprising a feedwheelrotatably disposed for conveyance of the links to cartridge removalstations thereof and provided with parallel sprockets having alignedundercut teeth for simultaneous engagement with the bodies and the tabsto secure the links to the feedwheel and means for camming the belt toguide the tabs respectively into and out of said engagement before andafter said conveyance.

3. In a disintegrating belt for supplying cartridges to a weapon havinga feedway provided with a feedwheel including aligned sprockets withteeth having undercut surfaces and guides leading to the feedwheel, alink comprising a substantially semicylindrical body, for engagementwith corresponding pairs of the sprocket teeth, said body havingparallel pairs of projecting tabs for engagement with the undercutsurfaces to secure said link to the feedwheel, and having surfaces forengagement with the guides to orient said link for said engagement.

4. A disintegrating cartridge belt for supplying cartridges to a weaponhaving a feedway including guides and a feedwheel with spaced sprocketsprovided with undercut teeth, said cartridge belt comprising a pluralityof connected links each including a substantially semicylindrical bodyhaving an elemental strap formed and raised therefrom and asubstantially semicylindrical tongue provided with opposing end detentsand disposed for limited slidable movement between said body and saidstrap, said body having forward and rearward pairs of cartridge retainergrips with cartridge-extractor groove detents, parallel pairs ofoppositely projecting tabs for securing said body in the feedwheelteeth, and surfaces for engagement with the guides for orientation ofsaid link with the feedwheel and said links having loops and hooksoppositely projecting from the bodies and tongues thereof for connectionof said plurality of links in said belt, the books of said links beingconstructed for cobeen described in detail herein, it is evident thatmany variations may be devised within the spirit and scope operationwith the cartridges gripped therein to lock said link engagements.

5. In a weapon supplied with cartridges by a disintegrating beltprovided with links having bodies with spaced pairs of tabs oppositelyprojecting therefrom, a rotatable feedwheel for conducting the links toramming positions thereof and a feedway and a chute for directing thebelt before and after said ramming positions, said feedwheel havingteeth with adjacent surfaces for engagement with the bodies and undercutsurfaces for engagement with the tabs to secure the links to saidfeedwheel, said feedway including guides for directing the links forsaid body engagement and a belt cam for directing the links for said tabengagement, and said chute including a link cam for disconnecting thetabs from the teeth to allow the belt to disintegrate in said chute.

6. In combination, a cartridge belt comprising a plurality of seriallyconnected links for resiliently securing cartridges therein, and afeeding device comprising a feedwheel .for rotation ofsaid links tostations for ramming the cartridges therefrom including a pair of spacedaligned sprockets having teeth with undercuts and a pair of camsflanking said ramming stations, each of said links including a body forengagement with corresponding pairs of said teeth and tabs oppositelydisposed on said body for projecting into the undercuts to secure saidlinks to said feedwheel, said cams being disposed for guiding said linksinto and out of said engagement, and said links being constructed formutual disengagement after said ramming to disintegrate said belt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ElderJuly 5,

Simpson Aug. 11,

FOREIGN PATENTS France Oct. 15,

France June 17,

Great Britain Sept. 30,

